


In the Language of Flowers

by InkstainedGwyn



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Florist AU, M/M, Meet-Cute, just fluff, lots of fluff, no angst or drama, souji likes buying flowers, that's p much all it is, yep that's what it is, yosuke is a florist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-08-19 16:10:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8216243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkstainedGwyn/pseuds/InkstainedGwyn
Summary: AU in which Yosuke owns a small flower shop and Souji becomes a regular customer who just so happens to know the meaning of all the flowers he buys. (Chapter 3, the final chapter, is now out!)





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used [this page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_symbolism) for my flower meanings; don't mind the fact that half of these flowers wouldn't grow at the same time or even be available in Japan, it's hard enough to find flowers that actually make sense but still mean what I want them to mean! 
> 
> Here's my [tumblr](https://ohlookashinysquirrel.tumblr.com) if you want to poke at me.

“That’s a beautiful _jasminum mesnyi_ specimen you have there.”

Yosuke looked up, a bit startled - he hadn’t realised anyone had come into the shop, but then he _had_ been busy trimming dead foliage off the jasmine plant sitting in front of him - but he couldn’t stop a smile of pride from spreading across his face; the plant had been small and shriveled when he’d gotten it, and he’d been caring for it for months, and the fact that it now had a sprinkling of fragrant yellow blossoms made all of the work worth it. It was one of his favourite parts of his job.

“Thanks. Been a rough ride, but I think she’s finally coming into her own.” He nodded, sizing up the customer; it was a young man, about his age. The first things Yosuke noticed were the silver hair and eyes; the second thing, just how _cute_ the guy was. The third thing - immediately following upon the heels of the realisation of _wow he’s cute_ \- was the beautiful bouquet the man was holding; it was hand-picked from the buckets of loose cut flowers lining the back wall of the shop, and it looked even better than any of the bouquets Yosuke put together for sale each morning, a fact which made the brunette feel a little jealous. Camellia, yellow poppies, white violets, and amaranth formed a charming bundle, and Yosuke took the bouquet with a brief pang of admiration at how beautiful the flowers all looked together. 

“Will that be everything?”

“Mhm.” The silver-haired man nodded, reaching for his wallet as he nodded at the bunch. “I was surprised to see that you had amaranth. I haven’t been able to find that in most shops.”

“Yeah, I just got it in, you’ve got a good eye.” Yosuke smiled. “Most people grow it for grain, but I think the flowers are beautiful.”

When he said this, the customer smiled; it was soft and bright, and Yosuke found himself more than a little mesmerised. Unaware of this, however, the man nodded. “Do you know what amaranth means? In the language of flowers.”

Now, Yosuke knew that flowers had meaning, but he’d never learned what any of them were; still, he loved flowers, so he just shook his head. “I don’t, what is it?”

“Immortality. Camellia means ‘unpretending excellence,’ yellow poppies mean ‘wealth and success,’ and white violets stand for ‘modesty.’” 

Yosuke raised an eyebrow at this. _Interesting choice for a bouquet for your girlfriend_. “Modesty and unpretending excellence? Getting a bit of a contradiction there.” He chuckled.

“Yes, well.” Smiling, the customer said no more, handing over a debit card with the name “Souji Seta” on it and looking around the store as Yosuke rang him up. “I wasn't aware this shop was even here, but you have an amazing selection, and it's clear you take good care of your plants.” He nodded at the now-blooming jasmine. “I'll have to make sure to come back.” 

Handing the card back, Yosuke carefully picked out some tissue paper that complemented the selected flowers. Wrapping them gently, he finished it with a twist of white ribbon and a sticker with his shop’s name - _Junes_ , a name he'd picked because of the English month, one of his favourite months for flowers - and handed the bundle to the customer, who'd seemed content to wait and watch. 

“Well, I'll hope to see you again, then.” He put on his best smile, and the man looked surprised. 

“You work most shifts?”

“I own the place.” Pulling himself up, proudly, Yosuke held out a hand. “Name’s Yosuke Hanamura. My brother Ted helps out during the day sometimes and on weekends, but I'm almost always here.”

“I see.” The silver-haired man shook his hand with a nod. “Souji Seta. You’ve got a good shop here, Yosuke. I’ll be back.”

“Well, have a good night.” Yosuke put the tissue paper away as Souji held up the bouquet, using it as a gesture of farewell before stepping out into the twilight. Yosuke watched him go, then turned back to the jasmine plant.

“All right, let’s get you someplace warm and damp, I think I have the perfect corner for you out in the greenhouse.”

* * *

A few days later, Yosuke was arranging columbine, sweetpea, and gardenia into a handful of nosegays when the bell on the door tinkled, signifying a customer; when he looked up, he was surprised to see Souji again. The man stepped inside, looking around with an expression of contentment; when his eyes met Yosuke’s, he smiled brightly, nodding. 

“Welcome back.” Yosuke waved with his scissors, and Souji nodded again. 

“Thanks.” He headed straight for the cut flowers, spending some time browsing; Yosuke was just putting the finishing touches on his last nosegay when Souji came up to the counter, holding an armful of white carnations, a backdrop for a vivid splash of red chrysanthemums. In his other hand, he held a glass vase, an art piece Yosuke had just gotten in - he hadn’t been sure about it at the time, but something told him that it would look good with the flowers Souji had brought over, and he shook his head. 

“You really have a great sense of colour and style, don’t you?” 

"Thanks." Souji chuckled as he set everything down, but he gave a small frown when he looked at the nosegays Yosuke had been preparing. “Hmm. Those really are lovely, but… I don’t know about the columbine.”

“Why’s that?” Yosuke wanted to feel irritated, but the gentle way in which Souji spoke took the sting out of his words.

“Columbine means ‘faithlessness’, but sweetpea means 'gratitude' and gardenia means ‘secret and sweet love, joy, and good luck.’”

The brunette side-eyed the nosegays. “I… really don’t think anybody’s going to know that when they come in. Other than you.”

“That is true.” Souji gave a quiet chuckle. “Sorry. It’s just a habit of mine.” He smiled at Yosuke, and  Yosuke found himself swallowing at the expression. “They really do look beautiful together. You’ve got a good eye for colour, too.”

“Er, thanks.” Casting about for a change of subject, he nodded towards the flowers the silver-haired man had brought up. “What about carnations and chrysanthemums?”

“White carnations mean ‘sweet and lovely, innocence, pure love, faithfulness’ and red carnations simply mean ‘I love.’” 

Yosuke’s eyes fell on the flowers, and he thought with a small pang that it would be the kind of bouquet that would make any lover happy, especially when paired with the vase. _Better than the last bouquet’s meanings, I guess_. Shaking his head, he smiled brightly at Souji. “Want them together or wrapped separate?”

Souji raised an eyebrow. “Huh- oh. The flowers and vase? Separate. I’ll arrange them when I get home. Thanks, though.”

“‘Course.” Yosuke picked out another complementary tissue, carefully wrapping the flowers as he did last time; ringing everything up, they made small talk - mostly about flowers in season and how Yosuke’s jasmine plant was doing. As with the time before, Souji gave Yosuke a bright smile of farewell, carrying out his purchases; this time, the brunette watched him go, feeling a little distracted.

After a few minutes, he looked down at the nosegays he’d prepared; biting his lip, he wavered for a time before plucking the columbines out, putting them into their own little bouquet while he replaced them with purple violets. When the shop closed that night, he went online to do some shopping. 

* * *

He was just unwrapping his new _Encyclopedia of Plant Language_ a few days later when the doorbell tinkled again; when he looked up to see Souji, he was both surprised and pleased. The silver-haired man smiled warmly, making his usual pass through the vases and bowls before heading for the flowers. Yosuke flipped through a few pages, admiring the colour photos, but he didn’t really have time to read it at the moment, so he simply set it on the shelf behind the counter next to a small potted primrose before heading to the opposite side of the store to start watering the fruit saplings he’d gotten in that morning. 

Souji took a bit longer than usual; eventually, he brought over white lilacs, irises, and a potted mayflower, laying them carefully on the counter. Yosuke set the hose down after locking the nozzle; heading over to the register, he wiped down his hands and arms and nodded towards the counter. “Going for white and purple today, I see.”

“Mhm.” Souji looked up, and then brightened when he saw the book sitting behind the counter. “Did you just get that encyclopedia?”

Yosuke flushed a little before nodding. “Yeah. It’s kinda interesting. I haven’t had time to read it, though, and I don’t know when I will.”

“You do work a lot.” Souji smiled. “I won’t make you look these up. White lilac means ‘youthful innocence and memories,’ mayflower means ‘welcome,’ and iris means ‘good news.’”

He smiled, but Yosuke found himself feeling a little off. _That… almost sounds like something you’d throw together for… a baby shower? Announcement?_ His eyes flickered to Souji’s left hand, but he saw no ring; the silver-haired man didn’t wear any jewelry, however, so that didn’t necessarily mean anything. Mentally shrugging, he just smiled, making small talk again; Souji asked him about how he’d come to work as a florist, and Yosuke told him that it had been a family business, and Souji talked a little about how much he loved flowers, and once Yosuke had wrapped the loose blossoms and found a small bag for the potted mayflower, Souji left.

Watching the door close, Yosuke sighed quietly.

_Why are the cute and sweet ones always taken?_

* * *

Souji continued to come by the store several times a week. Yosuke found himself planning his flower deliveries carefully; more than once he took a chance on an unusual flower, and almost every time, Souji would comment on the rarity and buy some, and each time he did, Yosuke found himself feeling particularly proud. He didn’t really have time to read any more of the encyclopedia he’d bought, but that was okay; Souji told him, each time, the meanings of the flowers he was buying. 

Usually, they were something in the vein of love or affection; after a few weeks, Yosuke stopped trying to lie to himself that he wasn’t jealous, because he _was_ , but there was no reason to let that affect what was slowly becoming a friendship - or at least a flower-friendly acquaintance. Sometimes, however, the meanings would be random - or unique - and the brunette felt like he was seeing a small window into Souji’s home life with each arrangement. 

_I really do hope his girlfriend - boyfriend, whoever - appreciates these bouquets_. 

One afternoon, Souji brought up a bundle of yellow roses and some star-of-bethlehem; when he explained that yellow roses meant ‘apology’ and star-of-bethlehem ‘atonement’, Yosuke couldn’t stop himself from snickering.

“Did something to piss your girlfriend off, eh?”

Souji blinked at him, looking confused. “Huh?”

“Er.” Feeling confused, Yosuke looked down at the bouquet, then back up at Souji. “Er, boyfriend, girlfriend, whichever-”

An odd look on his face, Souji shook his head. “These… aren’t for me? Didn’t- didn’t I ever mention that I practice ikebana? Most of the flowers I buy are for arrangements that people have commissioned.”

Yosuke turned bright red as an expression of dawning comprehension spread across his face; he wanted to sink into the floor, but he just looked down at the flowers and started to laugh. After a moment, Souji joined him; after a few more moments, Yosuke finally rubbed his face.

“Well, I feel like a complete idiot. Here I was thinking that you were just some super-devoted boyfriend giving his girlfriend or boyfriend all kinds of sweet messages. Sorry about that.”

“Oh, no. Don’t apologise.” Souji gave him a smile. “I can see where it seems like that, and to be fair, it’s probably something I would do, but no- I’m single.” He said this last line with careful indifference; the words caused Yosuke to flush, and Souji just gave him another smile as he reached for his wallet. Pulling out a business card, he handed it to the brunette. “I’m actually doing an ikebana demonstration tomorrow afternoon, if you’re interested. Don’t feel obliged, of course, but-”

“Oh! No, I’d love to come.” Yosuke looked at the card; the address wasn’t too far away. “I can get Ted to watch the store; I need to get out from time-to-time, anyway.”

“Yes, you do.” Souji gave a soft smile that seemed more than a little pleased; they talked a little about the time of the exhibition as he paid, and then he gave the brunette another bright, warm smile as he said farewell.

When he left, Yosuke looked down at the card and immediately started to mentally search his wardrobe, wishing he’d asked exactly how fancy the demonstration was going to be.

* * *

Eventually, he settled on slacks and a pullover that looked… respectable, but not too fancy. Knowing that he was probably getting his hopes up for nothing, he left Ted in charge of the store the next afternoon; the weather was nice, so he decided to walk. 

As he neared the address he found himself in a neighbourhood of older buildings, most built in the traditional style; it made sense for someone who practiced ikebana, and Yosuke thought back to some of the conversations they’d had - Souji had said something about following in his parents’ footsteps, as well, and he probably came from an older, more traditional family.

The workshop was easy enough to find - it actually seemed to be a home and workshop combined, with a mailbox that said Seta - and Yosuke found himself in a small crowd of mostly older individuals (and a few young women) as he took a seat in the small exhibition room. The building itself was elegant and simple, and there were several floral displays around the room; Yosuke was pleased to see _his_ flowers used in nearly all of them, as well as several bowls and vases Souji had bought from his store. There was a table in the front of the room, on which sat an assortment of bowls and vases, florist’s tape and thread, and varying sizes of scissors and shears. There were flowers, as well - familiar yellow roses and star-of-bethlehem - as well as various branches and pieces of greenery.

The quiet murmur of talking died away when the curtain in the back of the room parted; as expected, it was Souji - but he was dressed in elegant, traditional clothes, which Yosuke did _not_ expect, and the brunette had to take a deep breath to keep his jaw from dropping. The blue-and-silver haori and grey hakama looked _good_ on Souji’s tall figure - and the colours contrasted with his hair so that even Yosuke, in the back of the room, could tell how attractive he was. 

_I am so, so sunk_.

Stepping up to the table, Souji addressed the group, thanking them for their attendance before speaking a bit about the art of ikebana and the Shinpa Seizan style, which was the school that he practiced. As he was explaining the school’s philosophy - to let nature and the flowers’ meanings influence the work - he caught Yosuke’s eye and smiled; the brunette gave a small smile back, praying that his face wasn’t _too_ red.

Picking up a few roses and one of the smaller pairs of scissors with a practiced hand, Souji started to talk about the flowers’ meanings, as well as the importance of considering the intent of the piece while putting it together; his hands moved so deftly and his gestures were so graceful that Yosuke found himself entranced as he watched the piece grow before his eyes, as if it were a living thing unto itself. 

It wasn’t until the piece was finished and everyone was applauding - with Souji bowing in the front of the room - that Yosuke focused again; he’d spent the whole demonstration in what he hoped wasn’t too visible of a reverie, and he had to shake his head for a moment. Everyone stood, crowding around to look at the finished decoration, or the other pieces around the room, or to approach Souji and tell him how much they enjoyed the demonstration; Yosuke hesitated, wondering if he should stay, go tell Souji how much he’d enjoyed it (and risk tripping over his tongue or saying something stupid), or if he should just leave. 

Before he could decide, he heard his name, and looked up to see Souji walking towards him with an elderly man at his side; Souji gave him Yosuke a warm smile that made his toes curl, but he held out a hand as if to introduce the brunette to his companion.

“This is Yosuke Hanamura, Matsumoto-sensei. I get most of my flowers from his shop - I believe he grows some of them himself.” He said this last part with a raised eyebrow, and Yosuke - snapping into business mode - nodded.

“Yes, my family has been in the floral business for generations and I have a well-established greenhouse, as well as contacts with quite a few reputable importers.” He bowed to the old man, who returned the bow.

“You have quality stock, Hanamura-san.” The two talked a little about Yosuke’s shop, where it was located, and the importance of fresh flowers. Souji listened with a smile, not moving from Yosuke’s side, and by the time Matsumoto-san had left and the rest of the crowd had cleared out, Souji had spent the entire time standing next to Yosuke - even when answering questions from other attendees - and the brunette took this as a sign that the silver-haired man didn’t want him to leave yet. He only hoped he wasn’t actually blushing, as warm as his face felt. 

When the last person left, Souji turned to Yosuke with a soft smile. “I’m glad you came. How did you like it?”

“It was amazing.” Yosuke tried to keep his enthusiasm to a somewhat normal level, but he couldn’t keep all of the excitement out of his voice; Souji looked pleased, and even a little embarrassed, and Yosuke warmed at the sight, feeling a little vindicated for his own bashfulness earlier. 

Clearing his throat, Souji nodded. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. Would-” the embarrassment lingered on his face, and he paused for a moment, as if looking for words - or courage. “Would you be interested in seeing me make another piece?”

“I’d love that!” Yosuke remembered the skillfulness with which Souji had put together the last centerpiece, and he flushed a little, and when he did the silver-haired man smiled. 

“Thank you. Please, come inside; I do most of my private work in my personal quarters - this space is just for demonstrations. Can I offer you some tea?”

* * *

A quarter of an hour later found Yosuke holding a mug of tea and kneeling in front of a low table in a living room that was surprisingly comfortable, despite its traditional style; there were low couches and chairs around, and one stool held a curled, black-and-white cat who opened one eye, chirped at Yosuke, gave a quiet purr when Souji petted her, and then went back to sleep. Souji knelt on the other side of the table, focused on the flowers in front of him; while Yosuke certainly knew what the flowers _were_ \- purple lilac, jonquils, and a flower that he hesitantly identified as _linaria bipartita_ \- he didn’t recognise them as having come from his shop. That thought made him feel a little disappointed, but as he’d only ever seen the snapdragon variant of _linaria_ in person, he couldn’t particularly blame Souji for not buying what he didn't have.

This time, Souji didn’t say anything about the plants' meanings; he mostly worked quietly, although he’d occasionally look up and smile at Yosuke, or make a comment about the layout and why he’d chosen a particular bloom. Yosuke sipped his tea, and the cat eventually decided to wander over and plop down next to his knee, so he petted her - at which Souji gave him another warm smile - and despite the fact that he was sitting in an unfamiliar living room with a guy he most certainly had a massive crush on watching said guy do amazing things with his hands, Yosuke found himself feeling comfortable.

Finally, the piece was finished; a single spike of lilac stood in the centre of the arrangement, surrounded by jonquils, spears of soft grass, and waterfalls of white linaria. The dish was smooth and simple, of ivory porcelain, and it spread outwards as if opening up to reveal the beautiful flowers within. It was absolutely lovely, and when Souji finally sat back after looking at it, critically, from every direction, Yosuke gave a quiet clap.

“It’s gorgeous.” He didn’t try to hide the admiration in his voice, and Souji blushed a little before smiling and giving a tiny, joking bow. 

“I’m glad you like it. I made it for you.” He slid it across the table as Yosuke blinked, looking at the arrangement with wide eyes; before he could say anything, however, Souji looked out the large bay window. “It’s twilight; I assume you need to be back at the store before closing time?”

“Yeah.” Distracted by the talk of time, Yosuke sighed, nodding as he put the tea mug on the table and pushed himself to his feet. Beside him, the black and white cat grumbled, wandering back over to its stool; Souji stood, as well, picking up the flower arrangement before handing it to the brunette. Yosuke looked at it, a bit wistfully. “Souji, I can’t-”

“Please?” There was a hesitant note in the silver-haired man’s voice, and Yosuke found that he couldn’t say no; besides, it was beautiful, and Souji had made it _for_ him, and he really, _really_ wanted to keep it. It was so light and delicate in his hands; when he looked down at it, he couldn’t help smiling, and so he nodded.

“All right. I- thanks. It’s… amazing, really. I’ll give it a place of honour in the store, or maybe I’ll be selfish and take it upstairs to my apartment so I can look at it at night.” 

Souji gave a quiet, pleased chuckle. “I’d like that. Now, let me find something for you to carry it home with, I think I have one of those handy plant bags from your store…”

Once the arrangement was safe, and Yosuke had bid the cat (whose name was Vasha) farewell, Souji saw him to the door. “I got a couple of arrangement orders today at the demonstration, so I’ll probably be by tomorrow to pick out the flowers.” He smiled, and the brunette returned the smile, and after a moment, Souji's voice dropped, just a bit. “And… you’ve still got that encyclopedia, right?”

Yosuke raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, but I haven’t really had a chance to read it…”

“That’s fine.” There was a small, hesitant smile on his face, and he nodded. “Look those flowers up when you get home, okay?”

Curiosity - mingled with a bit of hope - threaded its way through Yosuke’s heart as he nodded. “Yeah. Of course.” The sky was completely dark by now, so he sighed. “Gotta go before Ted has a fit, but… thanks for the invite, Souji. It really was great.”

“I’m glad you came, Yosuke.” Souji smiled, standing at the door to watch him go. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

* * *

Yosuke made his way back to the shop with a spring in his step and a smile that he couldn’t banish - nor did he want to. Ted complained a little, but it was mostly for show, and by the time he was out of the store it was close enough to closing time that the brunette decided to call it a little early that night. Turning the sign on the door from 'open' to 'closed,' Yosuke gently lifted the flower arrangement out of its bag, relieved to see that it had made it home intact; pulling the _Encyclopedia of Plant Language_ off the shelf, he started to flip through the pages.

_J... jaborosa… jasmine… here we go, jonquil._ He blinked at the text, feeling his cheeks flush. _‘Return my feelings’..?_ Hands trembling, he quickly moved on to the L’s. _Lantana… lavender… lilac. White lilac, ‘youthful innocence and memories,’ he told me that already, purple lilac-_ He bit his lip. _-'first emotion of love'. Oh my god…_ He put a hand to his cheek, looking back at the flowers, then flipped through a few more pages. _Linaria bipartita… clovenlip toadflax, what a name…_

After reading the entry, he closed the book, wrapping his arms around it as he buried his face against the cover. _Oh my god. ‘Please notice my love/feelings for you.’ Oh my god._ He remembered Souji’s careful indifference when he’d said he was single, as well as the small smile when he’d said that the idea of giving someone a message through his bouquets was ‘probably something he'd do,’ and the brunette felt like he was floating on air. 

Yosuke spent another several hours pouring through the book, even over dinner, and finally fell asleep that night with the arrangement sitting on the nightstand next to his bed. 

* * *

Gardenia was easy - he already knew what _that_ one meant - and he had asters. He had to hurry to two of his importers to find rainflowers, but he managed to get a lovely bunch of them and get back to the store and still only open an hour late. He wasn’t _too_ worried - Souji never came before lunch - and that gave him time to deal with customers and still arrange the flowers to the best of his ability. He hesitated over putting in some baby’s breath - standard filler - and passed it over in favour of purple heather. He toyed with the idea of trying to put it into a vase, but decided against it; he was no ikebana artist, and he didn’t even want to try to mess _that_ up, but he knew he could make a pretty bouquet. 

Each time the doorbell tinkled, his head shot up, even when he knew it was too early for Souji to show up; finally, he was greeted by the sight of silver hair and eyes, and he found himself turning pink even as a smile that he couldn’t stop - and didn’t want to - spread across his face. 

“Afternoon.”

“Hello.” Souji looked like Yosuke felt - as if he was having to force himself to act normal and not simply rush over - but the brunette’s smile seemed to put him at ease as he hesitantly walked towards the back of the store. Yosuke toyed with the idea of hurrying back to join him, but he forced himself to wait; soon enough - as if he’d only spent the bare minimum of time necessary to pick out some flowers - Souji walked up to the counter with his arms full of roses. 

“New arrangement?” Yosuke looked at the bundle, breathing in its fragrance.

“Yes, dark pink, burgundy, and white roses for a little girl’s birthday.” He nodded. “It’s not the only request I took, but I try to do them one at a time.”

“Makes sense.” Yosuke wrapped them, as usual, but before ringing them up he cleared his throat. “Uh.”

Souji looked at him, and the brunette could see the hope in his eyes; turning red, Yosuke reached under the counter to bring out the bouquet he’d put together, praying that it didn’t look ridiculous, or that he hadn’t read any of the flowers wrong. Holding it out, he cleared his throat. 

“My, uh- my answer.”

Souji took the flowers, biting his lip; as he looked into the bouquet, his smile - which had started small and hesitant - blossomed into something that took the brunette's breath away. Gently touching the petals, he named off each flower in a soft voice that sent shivers up and down Yosuke’s spine. 

“Aster - a symbol of love.”

The brunette nodded. 

“Gardenia - joy? Luck? Or-”

Yosuke was bright red by this point, but he could see how happy Souji was. “The- the other meaning. Secret and sweet love. Although I guess it’s not so secret any more.” 

Souji just chuckled. “Rainflower - I love you back?” 

Catching his eye, Yosuke was almost taken aback at the joy in Souji’s expression as he nodded, and Souji touched the heather last.

“Purple heather - solitude?”

“Beauty and admiration,” Yosuke mumbled. “Better than baby’s breath.”

“Better than ‘innocence and purity of heart?’ I see.” He laughed quietly.

Yosuke looked down at his hands. “So, uh. There wasn’t a flower for ‘do you want to get coffee some time,’ but…”

“But I’d love to.” Souji bit his lip. “Do you have plans after work?”

“No!” Yosuke almost startled himself with how vehement his answer was, and they both looked at each other before laughing.

“How about I come by at closing to pick you up? We’ll get coffee or dinner. Or both.”

“That… sounds really nice.” Blushing, Yosuke rang up the roses; Souji paid, as usual, but this time the brunette walked him over to the door; the silver-haired man stopped at the steps.

“So you… like the arrangement?”

“ _Love_ it,” Yosuke said, firmly. “It's sitting on my nightstand. I'm only sorry that it's eventually going to wilt.”

Souji gave a small smile. “It may fade, but the feelings behind it won’t… I’ll make another one for you, and another one after that, and I’ll keep making them until you’re tired of me.” 

“Stupid, that’s not gonna happen.” Yosuke was red again, and even Souji looked a little pink, and they laughed together and Yosuke was so focused on how _nice_ the sound was that he missed Souji leaning in. 

The kiss was sweet, little more than a brush of lips, but warmth spread through Yosuke’s fingers and toes as he looked up, surprised, and Souji gave him a shy smile. 

“I’ll see you later, then?”

“I can’t wait.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **ikebana** \- the Japanese art of flower arrangement, split into many different schools  
>  **haori** \- traditional Japanese jacket  
>  **hakama** \- traditional Japanese pants
> 
> Also because I went crazy this afternoon thinking about this AU idea, have [this post](http://ohlookashinysquirrel.tumblr.com/post/151349189992/oh-no-now-im-playing-around-with-flower-language) and [this post](http://ohlookashinysquirrel.tumblr.com/post/151350480102/fact-florist-au-yosuke-sometimes-acts-like-a) about silly SouYo flower headcanons (read the story first though).


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 (end? Maybe?) of In the Language of Flowers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god y'all are enablers. Like, this is pure unadulterated fluff and if you get cavities don't blame me.

It was probably good that very few customers came in that afternoon, and that the ones that did needed no help (beyond ‘hello, dearie, do you have any white lilies?’) Yosuke wasn’t sure whether he was walking on air or just on cloud nine, but he kept thinking about Souji’s smile, the brief kiss and the shy look on the silver-haired man’s face, and he’d have to find yet another stack of pots that needed dusting or plants that needed judicious trimming to keep himself from turning into a bright red, squeaking mess.

As the afternoon progressed, he started to worry about the date that night. _Should I close early? Grab a shower? Do I need to find something fancy to wear? No, it’s just coffee, right? Well, maybe dinner and coffee, what if he wants to go someplace traditional? I have slacks, but I don’t have any kind of traditional outfits! Ugh. Would a suit work? Or maybe we’ll just get coffee and he’ll show up in jeans, although I_ would _like to see him in that haori again, or maybe a formal kimono, or-_

Just then, the doorbell tinkled and his head shot up. When he saw Souji standing in the doorway, his face lit up; Souji gave a bright smile, and Yosuke hurried over to meet him.

“I know I’m a bit early, but I didn’t want you to think I’d forgotten.” Giving a now-familiar, shy smile, the silver-haired man held out a bouquet. “I hope I’m not overdoing it with the flowers, I just…” He trailed off as Yosuke took the bundle of multi-coloured ranunculus; the brunette had spent enough time pouring over the ‘love and affection’ portion of his encyclopedia the night before to recognise the meaning - ‘I am captivated by your charms’ - and he turned bright pink. 

“Uh, no, uh-” _Smooth, Hanamura, talk much?_ “-No, they’re- dammit, now I’m all flustered. I love them, thank you. I feel like I’m dreaming, but…”

Souji gave him a soft, warm smile. “There’s a flower for that, too, but no. I just really like you. I’ve liked you since the first day I came in, actually; I mean, a cute guy that loves flowers and takes amazing care of them? Sign me up.” 

_Yeah, I’m done for._ Yosuke couldn’t even meet Souji’s eyes at this, but he smiled at the flowers he was holding. “Well, if it makes you feel any better I was super jealous of whatever significant other I was sure was getting those flower messages, so…”

“That does make me feel better.” Souji gave a quiet chuckle, and the sound made Yosuke’s shoulders prickle in the _nicest_ way, and then he was speaking again. “So, uh… are you up for dinner, or do you only have time for coffee?”

Yosuke looked up to see that Souji had changed into a blue-grey turtleneck with a grey blazer and jeans - not too fancy, but nicer than Yosuke’s work-worn t-shirt and cargo pants - and he shook his head. “Dinner would be great, if you want to do that, but I’d need to grab a shower and change. If that’s not gonna take too much time-”

He met Souji’s eye with a worried expression, but at the smile that spread across the other man’s face, he relaxed a little; Souji shook his head. “No, that’s fine, I kind of expected as much. I can wait-”

Just as he said this, Yosuke was already speaking again. “I live upstairs, wanna come up? I can get you a drink while you wait.”

“That’d be… really nice.” Souji smiled again, and Yosuke was pretty certain by this point that he was going to spend the rest of however long he was with Souji walking on air, but that was okay, so he just locked the door, made a final check around the store, flicked off the lights, and led the way upstairs. 

He was glad that he usually kept his apartment tidy; it wasn’t terribly large - just one bedroom, with a combined living room and dining room, and a kitchenette - but it was enough for him. “Sorry it’s so small,” he said, as Souji walked in behind him, looking around with a curious expression. 

“It’s nice. Cozy.” Souji smiled, watching the brunette pull a vase out of an upper cabinet and start arranging the flowers he’d brought - it was a full bouquet, so he didn’t have to worry about making a presentation out of it - on the dining room table.

“Make yourself at home, can I get you a beer? Tea? Mineral water?” Yosuke’s head was in the fridge when Souji - who’d wandered into the living room area - called back, “Mineral water, please. My car is downstairs, so other than perhaps a glass of wine at dinner, I should probably stay away from alcohol.”

“Sure.” Yosuke grabbed a bottle of water - which he preferred to soda, anyway - and carried it to the living room where Souji was standing in front of his stereo, looking at his shelves of CDs. The silver-haired man took the bottle with a smile of thanks. 

“You’ve got a really nice sound system.”

“Thanks. Music’s my other hobby.”

Yosuke was nodding just as Souji’s face lit up; he pulled a CD off Yosuke’s ‘unsorted’ pile. “I didn’t know they had a new album out! This is my favourite band!” 

“Hey, really?” Yosuke couldn’t stop smiling - _oh my god we even have the same taste in music_. “Yeah, it just came out a couple of weeks ago. It’s _really_ good. I’ll give you a copy, if you want.”

“Oh, man, thank you. I’d really appreciate that.” Souji gave him a look of gratitude, and Yosuke decided that he should probably actually get ready before he ended up melting through the floorboards. 

“No problem. Hey, if you want to listen to it, go ahead, I’m gonna grab my shower and get ready really quickly.”

“Sounds good. Take your time.” Souji was already pulling the disc carefully out of the case, and Yosuke hurried back into his bedroom, although he did sneak a look back into the living room after he’d grabbed some clean clothes - he’d decided on a long-sleeved black shirt and jeans - just to see Souji sitting on the couch with a smile on his face as he listened to the CD. 

* * *

They made small talk as Souji drove towards the station; they’d just gotten to the commercial district when the silver-haired man turned his head. “Is Italian ok?”

“Italian? Fine by me. I love pasta.” Yosuke chuckled. “I'm surprised you didn't pick some traditional place, or whatever.”

Souji laughed at this. “Just because I practice ikebana and live in a traditional house doesn't mean I spend all my time at teahouses and listen to nothing but koto and shamisen music. I’m a pretty ordinary guy, you know.”

 _More like_ ** _extra_** _ordinary_. Yosuke gave a little grin. “Nah, there’s nothing average about you.” Souji blushed, focusing his attention on finding a parking space in the small deck they’d pulled into, and Yosuke - feeling a little brave - continued. “And traditional isn’t always bad. I mean, that outfit the other day…”

As he parked the car, Souji looked up, a bit startled. “You liked it?” He smiled at the flush on Yosuke’s cheeks. “I’ll have to remember that. Although, personally I like that florist’s apron you wear.”

Yosuke blinked at this, turning pink. “You’re weird, dude.” 

They both laughed as they made their way down to the restaurant.

* * *

Dinner was wonderful. Yosuke was pretty certain it was illegal to make risotto that tasted _that_ good, and as he and Souji each sipped glasses of white wine, they talked about hobbies and habits and their families. They even managed to fit in an after-dinner cup of coffee. The brunette was, somehow, able to convince Souji to let him pay, and he was firmly in a good-food-and-amazing-company fog of happiness when they left. Souji drove slowly back to Yosuke's shop, and as he pulled into a parallel spot, Yosuke looked at the dashboard clock and sighed.

“I really, really wish I could invite you up, but tomorrow is Friday, which is delivery day, and they come at the ass-crack of dawn, and…”

“No, I understand.” Souji smiled, hesitantly putting a hand over Yosuke’s where it rested on the brunette's own knee. “I, uh… didn’t really get anything done today, so I’ve got three arrangements to get through tomorrow before I head to the centre to teach an afternoon class. Do you, uh… you said that you don’t do the opening shift on Saturdays, right?”

“Yeah, Ted opens in the mornings, I work the afternoons, and we don’t open at all on Sunday.” Yosuke looked down at the hand over his, mesmerised by how delicate the fingers were. 

“Would you like to come over tomorrow evening, then? I’d love to cook for you, especially since you paid tonight.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’d love that.” Yosuke tried to stop the goofy grin that was spreading across his face, but he eventually gave up. “Do you mind if I get your number?”

“Oh! Not at all.” Souji smiled, pulling a cell phone out of his pocket; Yosuke did the same - amazed at just how _easy_ it was to talk to this guy beside him - and they exchanged numbers before Yosuke opened the car door with a sigh.

“Thanks for an amazing night. Hell, thanks for everything.” He smiled, and the look on Souji’s face was just too much for him; leaning over, he gave the silver-haired man a quick kiss on the cheek before climbing out of the car. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”

“Uh… yeah? Yeah, definitely, I’ll… text you. The address. No, wait, you have the address, we’ll decide on a time.” Souji looked a little dazed, and Yosuke just grinned.

“Have a good night, Souji.”

“You too, Yosuke. Sleep well.”

* * *

The brunette was carefully misting the leaves of the flower arrangement from the night before when his phone, sitting on the nightstand, lit up. Flipping it open, he saw that he had a text from Souji.

> I really, really enjoyed tonight. I hope I’m not coming on too strongly. 

_Too strongly?_ Yosuke shook his head, thinking about how much he’d wanted to invite the guy up that evening. _Hell no._

> Stop worrying, I love hearing from you. Tonight was great, and I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. 

> Me, too. Sweet dreams, Yosuke.

The brunette fell asleep with a grin on his face, and his dreams were filled with flowers.

* * *

Souji met him at the door the next afternoon wearing jeans and a casual green button-up shirt with rolled-up sleeves, as well as an apron; Yosuke found himself understanding, a little, what Souji had meant the day before when he’d said he liked the brunette’s florist apron. Trying not to think too hard about it, he smiled as Souji invited him in; Yosuke hung up his jacket, glad that he’d checked in beforehand and decided to go with a casual v-neck t-shirt and jeans. Kicking off his shoes, he held out a bottle. “Hope it’s not a disappointment, but I decided to bring a drink instead of flowers.”

“No, that’s perfect.” Souji looked at the label and smiled. “Perfect sake for drinking hot, this’ll go great with dinner. I’m making imoni, I hope that’s okay.”

“That’s right, you said your mother was from up north, didn’t you?” The brunette sniffed the air. “Smells amazing.”

“Yeah, although I use miso, since I’m not as fond of sweet broth.” He gestured to counter that separated the kitchen from the dining room; it seemed to double as a more casual dining table, and there were already two places set. “Have a seat. We’ll have the sake with dinner, which is almost ready, but can I get you tea? Water? Beer? I have juice, too, I think.”

Yosuke saw that there was a half-full glass of beer sitting next to the stove, so he slipped onto a stool. “I’ll take a beer, whatever you’re drinking is fine.”

“Sounds good.” Souji pulled a large bottle out of the fridge, pouring a glass for the brunette; he smiled as their hands touched when he handed Yosuke the glass, and Yosuke grinned back, and proceeded to ask Souji about his day while the silver-haired man started to dish out the rice. Souji, in turn, asked Yosuke about what new flowers he’d gotten in, and soon there was a large pot of delicious-smelling stew sitting on a straw mat on the counter between the two seats.

Souji took a seat next to Yosuke; they toasted with their hot sake, and then proceeded to share a warm meal while they both talked about how their day had been. Unsurprisingly, Souji was an amazing cook.

“Damn, Souji, this is fantastic. I can cook, but there’s not really any difference between my meals and what you’d get from a konbini, so…”

Souji chuckled, pouring Yosuke a mug of tea. “I’m sure you sell yourself short.”

“I’d say I’ll prove you wrong, but that would mean I’d be inviting you over for a sub-par dinner and I really don’t want to give you that kind of impression.” Yosuke laughed a little, savouring the hot sake, and beside him, Souji chuckled.

“Yosuke, honestly, I don’t care if you burn water, I’m not going to stop being interested in you because you can or can’t cook. I’m just looking forward to spending more time with you.”

“Yeah, me too.” The brunette found his face growing hot, and he turned his attention back to the food; beside him, Souji gave another low chuckle, and changed the subject.

* * *

Once dinner was over - they’d followed it up with a buttery sponge cake that one of Souji’s customers had given to him in thanks for an arrangement he’d made - Souji filled the dishwasher as Yosuke sipped his tea. Closing the appliance, Souji washed his hands and turned to Yosuke with a smile. 

“So, are you interested in ikebana at all? I can show you the basics, if you want.”

“That would be really cool.” Yosuke was feeling warm and fuzzy - partly from the food and sake, but mostly from being with Souji - and he smiled at the silver-haired man, who gave a shy smile in return. 

Yosuke followed Souji into the living room - greeting Vasha again, who’d wandered in once or twice to beg for food during dinner, and who Souji had shooed back to the living room after giving her some pork and green onions - and Souji had him sit on a cushion at the table. The first thing he did was place a sketchbook and some coloured pencils in front of the brunette. 

“Think about what you want to make. You can go with whatever inspires you, but I suggest thinking about a particular idea, or a feeling you want to convey - it helps pull everything together. Keep it simple for this first attempt, no more than two or three flower types and no more than a handful of actual blossoms themselves.” As he spoke, he laid out an array of greenery and branches, as well as a selection of half-a-dozen small containers - bowls, plates, and tiny vases. “Obviously I don’t keep a huge supply of flowers on-hand, since they’re better fresh, but I think I know some places we can pick a few up tomorrow.” He smiled at the brunette, who grinned back before biting his lip, looking down at the paper. 

_A feeling I want to convey, hmm?_ While _how completely and utterly head over heels I am for you_ was the first thing to pop into his mind, he also wasn’t sure that this was how he wanted to admit to that sentiment, so he ran his fingers over the ridged surface of one of the tiny bowls before brightening up. Remembering the joy he’d felt as he read through the meanings of the flowers in Souji’s confession arrangement, he nodded to himself. Flipping through the small flower encyclopedia Souji had placed at his elbow, he picked out a few flowers before beginning to sketch. 

He wasn’t a terrible artist. Instead of focusing on details, he opted to just sketch out swathes of colour and general shapes; knowing that he’d be taking a two-dimensional idea and realising it in three-dimensions made him worry a lot less about ‘getting everything perfect’, and his design benefited greatly from that concept. He was just sketching in the bowl he’d chosen when Souji set a few tools down on the table; the silver-haired man then a seat next to Yosuke, looking over the brunette's shoulder. 

“Oh, wow. That looks really nice.” The appreciative tone was pleasant, and Yosuke noticed that Souji was close enough that the scent of camellia and lavender - something the brunette had smelled every time they’d been near - was stronger now. He wasn’t sure if it was a scent Souji chose, or if he just smelled that way because he worked so much with flowers, but either way it was a beautiful, heady fragrance, and it went straight to the brunette’s brain. He tried to focus; Souji had taken his sketch, and was looking it over. 

“Mmm, these are… celandine? And…”

“Celandine, hawthorn, and osmunda.” Yosuke felt himself blushing a little. “Joy to come, happiness, and dreams. Yes, I was thinking about the other night, when you gave me that arrangement.” 

Souji looked surprised, and then gratified, and he laid the paper down. “I’m glad it made you feel that way.” His voice was quiet, and Yosuke looked over to see an odd expression and a blush to match his own on Souji’s cheeks. “Now, let’s go ahead and start with the basics…”

He brought over a kenzan and a few branches to match the sketch and started to show Yosuke how to clip and fit them together; after a little while, he laid the branch in his hands down, and looked over. “I, um…”

Yosuke looked up. “Hmm?”

For a moment, Souji looked as if he was deliberating; after a moment, he slid closer, sitting behind Yosuke as he wrapped his arms around the brunette, bringing his hands up underneath Yosuke’s to hold the kenzan - which the brunette had been having a little trouble with - steady. “If this makes you uncomfortable, please let me know. I just thought it might help a little, and make it easier for me to guide you.”

His voice was low in Yosuke’s ear and the brunette knew he was bright red, but of all the things he wanted at that moment, ‘making Souji move away’ was very decidedly _not_ one of them; he shook his head, quickly.

“No-” A pause; the word had almost come out as a squeak, so he cleared his throat. “N-no, this is… good. This is fine. I think it’ll help.” _If I manage to learn anything at all_. 

“Good.” Souji’s chuckle was warm and low and Yosuke could feel it rumble against his back and as Souji started to walk him through the basics again, he bit his lip. _I’m not going to remember a single fucking thing and this is absolutely, positively mortifying and wonderful all at once._ He was paying _no_ attention to the lesson, focusing instead on the sound of Souji's voice, his scent, and the warmth of his chest against the brunette's back. Souji had amazing hands, and Yosuke watched, mesmerised, as they glided and gestured.

While Souji continued to instruct, he himself seemed distracted; eventually, Yosuke leaned to the side so that he could turn his head, and Souji’s face was red, and when their eyes met he abruptly stopped talking. The two men stared at one another, and then suddenly Souji was leaning in, and Yosuke closed his eyes, and the floral arrangement was forgotten as their lips met. 

This time, it was no light brush, no kiss on the cheek; it started hesitant, but as Yosuke shifted so that he could face Souji, the kiss deepened. The brunette ran a hand up into Souji’s soft, silver hair as Souji’s tongue teased his own, and he found himself being pushed backwards, against the table. As they finally came apart for air, Souji breathlessly moved his lips down Yosuke’s jaw, to his throat, to the line of collarbone showing through the v-neck of his shirt. 

Moaning softly, Yosuke wrapped an arm around Souji’s shoulders, continuing to run his fingers through Souji’s hair; it felt so good that he was having trouble breathing - not to mention _thinking_ \- and after a few minutes, Souji lifted his head, pulling Yosuke close as he put his lips to the brunette’s ear. 

“Stay the night?”

Gathering what few wits he still had, Yosuke gave a low chuckle. “I’m surprised you didn’t use flowers to ask.”

“I would have.” There was laughter in his voice as Souji nuzzled Yosuke’s neck. “I just don’t happen to have any orange roses on hand. Sorry to disappoint.”

“Oh, darn.” Yosuke leaned over as Souji looked up at him, then caught the other man’s lips with his own. After a sweet, hungry kiss, he smiled. “I haven't been disappointed in you yet and I doubt I ever will be. And… yeah. I want to stay.” 

Exhaling shakily, Souji rested his forehead against the brunette’s. “I love you _so much_ , Yosuke.”

Eyes widening, Yosuke tightened his arms around the silver-haired man’s shoulders. “I love you, too, Souji.”

* * *

When Yosuke woke the next morning, he found himself buried under the softest feather duvet; Souji was standing next to the bed with a tray from which wafted the most delicious smells. Yosuke scrambled into a sitting position as Souji put the tray across his lap, then leaned in for a soft, sweet kiss. 

“Good morning, Yosuke.”

“Morning, Souji.” Yosuke couldn’t help turning a little pink at just how romantic everything was; as Souji walked around to rejoin the brunette in bed - he’d brought in a tray for himself, as well - Yosuke looked down. It was a simple meal - just rice, miso, and some grilled fish - but what caught Yosuke’s eye was the small vase sitting next to the mug of tea. In it were two flowers; an orange rose, and a rose-of-sharon hibiscus flower. _‘Passion,’ and ‘consumed by love.’_ Blushing, Yosuke touched the petals before looking over at Souji.

The silver-haired man was blushing just as hard as Yosuke was; giving the brunette a soft smile, he cleared his throat. “Maybe it’s a little late to ask, but Yosuke… will you be the boyfriend I give all of my flower messages to?”

Remembering his earlier words to Souji, Yosuke blinked, looking stunned. His heart was so full that he wasn’t even sure he _could_ speak; when he realised, however, that Souji was watching him nervously, the brunette reached over to take his hand. With a grin that he couldn't stop, he laughed brightly.

“Of course I will, Souji. I only hope I can make you happy enough.”

“Of course you will, you already do.” Still holding Yosuke’s hand, Souji leaned over to kiss the brunette, and breakfast was cold before either of them remembered to eat it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **koto** \- a traditional Japanese stringed instrument; it rests on the floor or a table, with strings that run across the instrument, and is usually played with finger picks  
>  **shamisen** \- a traditional Japanese stringed instrument, made of a box-like body and a long, thin neck, on which several strings are stretched (much like a banjo or ukulele); it is usually played with fingers or a large flat-handled plectrum  
>  **imoni** \- a taro and meat stew, usually eaten in autumn; most common in Northern Japan but eaten in many different regions  
>  **kenzan** \- a tool consisting of a flat (usually round, but sometimes another shape) surface covered in spikes; used to fix and arrange flower stems, branches, and other items in an ikebana arrangement


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ch 3 (final) of In the Language of Flowers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter has a little bit of 'drama' (angst? Not really?) but it's about as fluffy as drama can be and the rest of it is pure sugar. Enjoy! (This really is the end, I promise.)

“Yosuke, do you remember Matsumoto-sensei?” 

The brunette, who’d been combing through the newest floral catalogue, looked up as Souji set a mug of tea in front of him. Tapping his chin with his pencil, he nodded.

“You introduced us at that first demonstration I attended, right?” Smiling, he wrapped his hands around the mug, letting the warmth seep into his fingers - it was winter, and despite the kotatsu, it was always a little chilly in Souji’s house. “Can’t believe that was months ago.”

“Three months, two weeks, and six days.” Smiling, Souji took his own seat at the kotatsu, to Yosuke’s left. “And yes, that was Matsumoto-sensei. He’s the head of the local ikebana society, the one that runs the centre where I teach classes.”

Blushing a little at Souji’s careful accounting of the days they’d been together, he smiled at his boyfriend, bumping Souji’s foot, under the kotatsu, with his own. “What’s up, then?”

“Well, he called me in yesterday to ask about you. He said he’s been looking to secure a main supplier for the association and the school, and wanted to know if I thought it was something you’d be interested in taking on. I told him I’d ask you.”

Blinking, Yosuke looked over at him with a stunned expression; Souji was watching him carefully, a small smile on his face. When the brunette said nothing, Souji continued, looking a little worried. “I don’t want you to feel pressured, you absolutely don’t have to, and it won’t cause problems for me, or with us or anything if you say no. I just thought it might be nice, and-”

“And it would be awesome.” Having recovered his voice, Yosuke bit his lip. “I need to think about it, figure out the logistics, I don’t want to say yes if it’s not something I can handle, but…”

“I understand.” Souji smiled. “I’ll tell you what I can, and I’m sure Matsumoto-sensei would be happy to meet with you and talk about the details.”

“Yeah, that would be great. I mean… how many flowers would be needed, on average, each week? What kinds? How often would they need deliveries? I can arrange bulk rates, and I’m assuming we’d work out some sort of discount in return for guaranteed work, but I’d need to figure out how much, and-” He was already scribbling numbers down on a notepad, underneath the tidy list of catalogue item numbers, and Souji chuckled, sliding around the kotatsu to sit next to him.

“Tell you what, I’ll talk to Sensei tomorrow and see if he wants to meet somewhere, or have you come by the centre with me sometime this week. Sound good?”

“Yeah.” Yosuke looked up, smiling shyly when he realised that Souji was right beside him; the silver-haired man smiled, wrapping his arms around the brunette’s waist as he looked over his boyfriend’s shoulder. 

“Perfect. Now, what kind of plants are you picking out?”

“Take a look.” Yosuke settled back against Souji’s chest as he started to flip through the catalogue. “I want to get in some new ornamentals, but I can’t decide between barberry or wax-leaf privet. What do you think?”

Wrapping an arm around Yosuke’s waist, Souji took the catalogue, examining the plant descriptions; as he did, Yosuke leaned back, closing his eyes as he breathed in Souji's now-familiar scent of camellia and lavender. He and Souji had been dating for months now, and he’d never been happier - and he hoped the same went for Souji. They still lived apart, but spent as much time as they could together; during the week, Yosuke often had to get up earlier than Souji, so frequently they spent weeknights at the brunette’s apartment, and weekend nights at Souji’s house. There were times when they were too busy to meet - only natural for two adults with jobs - and Yosuke _hated_ those days, but all-in-all he was happy, so happy. 

Vasha wandered over after a bit, hopping into his lap to curl up; smiling, Yosuke started to pet her as Souji scribbled ‘barberry’ on the pad before setting the catalogue back onto the kotatsu. The brunette felt Souji’s other arm slip around his waist, and then the silver-haired man was leaning over to kiss Yosuke’s neck, and the brunette closed his eyes, sighing happily as he leaned back into his boyfriend’s embrace.

* * *

“I’m gonna do it, Souji.” Yosuke was sitting in the passenger’s seat of Souji’s car; the brunette could drive, but he only had a delivery scooter, so Souji often drove whenever they were going anywhere together. 

Souji tilted his head a little, with a questioning smile, as he looked into the rear-view mirror to navigate traffic. “Your meeting with Matsumoto-sensei went well, then, I take it?”

“Yeah.” Yosuke looked excited. “We had a long talk, came to some agreements, and I think I can manage it. I might have to put the store on limited hours for a few months, until I can afford to hire someone - or maybe Ted will be able to give me more time. I dunno, he’s about to graduate and I imagine he wants to get a research spot at some university or something.”

“I’m sure we’ll make it work.” Souji smiled, putting on his blinker to pull into the spot in front of Yosuke’s shop. The street was one-way, so the traffic wasn’t usually too bad; today, however, it was a bit heavier than usual, so Yosuke had to wait for a few moments before he could climb out of the car.

He’d just turned to pull his messenger bag out of the backseat when he heard Souji shouting; turning, he saw a car speeding down the street - far too fast - too late for him to be able to do anything. He tried to jump back into Souji’s car, but before he could, the speeding car hit him; he felt breathless, blinding pain as everything shifted around him. The door he was holding onto must have been torn off its hinges, as well; it hit the pavement as he fell backwards, into the street. He could hear Souji yelling his name - almost screaming - as his boyfriend ran around kneel by his side; the brunette blinked up at the silver-haired man, whose hand was trembling as he held Yosuke’s. Souji was already speaking, rapidly, into his cell phone, and _everything_ hurt, and he was tired - _so_ tired - so Yosuke lay his head back and closed his eyes, just for a minute. 

* * *

When he came to, there was still a reassuring pressure on his hand, so he opened his eyes to see what was going on; instead of being in the street, however, he was in a room - it took a few blinks to realise that it was a hospital room - and Souji was sitting beside his bed, eyes closed as he held Yosuke’s hand, tightly. The brunette’s head felt fuzzy, but most of the pain was gone; looking down, however, he realised that his left leg was in a cast from just below his knee all the way down to his foot, and was propped up on a pillow. When he tried to shift it, he found that his whole pelvic region and lower torso was wrapped with bandages; just moving made everything _hurt_ again, and he groaned.

When he did, Souji’s eyes shot open and he sat up with a shocked - but relieved - expression on his face. “Yosuke! Oh, god, you’re ok. You’re awake. Do you know me? What hurts? Do I need to get the nurse?”

Although he was in a significant amount of pain, Yosuke couldn’t help smiling a little at his boyfriend, who was clearly worried about him; he didn’t like seeing Souji upset, but it did make him feel a little warm to see just how much the silver-haired man cared. Carefully, he squeezed Souji’s hand. “Of course I know you. And my hip hurts. What happened?”

Reaching over, Souji touched a button beside the bed. “You got hit by a car.” There was pain in his eyes, and Yosuke frowned, holding his hand more tightly. “We were getting out of my car in front of your shop and you got hit by a speeding car.”

Yosuke shook his head a little. “I remember, kinda. Is your car okay, though? I thought it looked like the door came off, and-”

Souji gave a small laugh. “I don’t care about my car, I’ve got insurance. I’ll get a new one. It’s better off than you are, right now.” He sighed. “Your left leg was broken in four different places, and your left hip was fractured - they had to go in and put pins in it.”

Just then, the nurse came in; after talking a bit with the two, she left to fetch more pain medication for Yosuke, as well as something to eat, and Souji shook his head. “The damage isn’t half as bad as it could have been, thank god, but… it’ll be a few months, at least, before you’re able to walk again without some sort of assistance or crutch or something. You’ll probably be in a wheelchair for a few weeks, until your hip heals enough that you can start using crutches.”

A hot, heavy feeling settled on Yosuke's heart and in his stomach; squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, the brunette looked away from Souji, out the window. “I see.” He sighed. “I- I guess the association will-”

“Yosuke.” Souji squeezed his hand. “As soon as I knew what was going on, I called Matsumoto-sensei, and-”

The door opened at that moment, and the nurse bustled back in with a tray; it was just rice, miso soup, and tamagoyaki, but it smelled edible. The nurse put a small cup with a few pills in it on the tray, telling Yosuke to eat the full meal before taking them; she then re-filled the water pitcher next to the bed before telling them to ring for her again if they needed anything. Once she was gone, Souji shook his head.

“I was saying that I called Matsumoto-sensei and he asked me to tell you that the association is more than willing to wait, provided you decide to stay in the flower business.”

This was not what Yosuke was expecting; he knew the expression on his face was one of disbelief as he looked at his boyfriend. “Huh?”

“Yosuke, they weren’t looking for a supplier because they absolutely needed one. We’ve got five or ten different florists we currently use, although we don’t have exclusive agreements with any of them. He just wanted to bring you in because he appreciates your flowers, he says that he’s never seen anyone with such a wide range of high-quality plants and flowers. It would make things _easier_ on the association to have an exclusive supplier in place, but it won’t kill us to wait, and that’s what he said he wants to do. As long as you still want to do it.”

“I-” Yosuke didn’t know _what_ to think, so he looked down at his tray, slowly putting a piece of tamagoyaki into his mouth. Swallowing, he looked back up at his boyfriend. “Souji, are you sure? I don’t-”

“I’m sure.” Souji smiled, putting a hand gently on Yosuke’s uninjured knee. “Sensei is fair, but strict. He wouldn’t do this just out of the goodness of his heart; he really _does_ want to use your products in our work.” Reaching up, he tucked a strand of copper hair behind Yosuke’s ear; the brunette gave a little smile, leaning against Souji’s hand for a moment. “Go ahead and eat, I’m sure you need your medication sooner rather than later.”

* * *

The pills were heavy-duty, and Yosuke spent the rest of the day in and out of sleep; that evening, before Souji had to leave to go home, the doctor stopped by to give Yosuke a check-up and talk to both of them. As Souji had mentioned, Yosuke was going to have to be in a wheelchair for a few weeks before he could transition to crutches; once he was on crutches, he’d start physical therapy. The brunette was relieved, at least, to hear the doctor say that they expected that he’d be walking again normally within six to eight months.

“Still.” He sighed, turning to his boyfriend, after the doctor left. “It’ll be a pain in the ass trying to get around my greenhouse in a wheelchair. Speaking of” - he sat up, a worried expression on his face. “Have you talked to Ted? Is he taking care of the greenhouse, and the shop?”

“Of course.” Souji took Yosuke’s hand again, twining their fingers together. “I called him before I called Matsumoto-sensei. He’s been by a couple of times, before you woke up, and he said he’ll be by tomorrow, too. Your cell is on the table next to the bed, if you want to text him later. He said he’ll have to keep the store closed during shifts when he has classes, but he’ll keep it open as he can and he’ll keep the plants in the greenhouse watered.”

“Thank you.” The brunette relaxed a little at this, smiling at their linked hands before yawning. “Sorry, I-”

“It’s fine.” Souji leaned over, kissing him on the cheek, and then lightly on the lips. “You’re tired and I should get going; visiting hours are almost over, and I need to feed Vasha. I’ll be back tomorrow after I take care of a few arrangements.”

“Class?” Yosuke raised an eyebrow, and Souji shook his head. 

“One of the other instructors is taking over for me while you’re in the hospital.” When the brunette moved to protest, he held up a hand. “It’s _fine_ , Yosuke. It’s only for a few days, and I’ve done the same for other instructors before. It’s part of what being in an association _means_ \- we support each other. And that means I can support you.” Leaning over, he gave Yosuke another soft kiss; the brunette sighed, squeezing his hand before letting go.

“All right, Souji. You’re spoiling me, but… I’m glad you’re here.” Yawning again, he lay back against the pillows. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“Sleep well, Yosuke. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Souji.” 

* * *

When Souji came by the next afternoon, Yosuke was feeling markedly better; he hadn’t had to take as many pain pills that morning, and that made him much more alert and awake. Souji walked in, carrying a covered bundle; the brunette’s face lit up, knowing that it was a flower arrangement, and his boyfriend smiled.

“Of course, I made something for my love while he’s in the hospital, to remind you of how much I love you even after I have to go home at night.” He lifted the cover, revealing a small pot, out of which a tall spur of melianthus - ‘sweet love’ - bloomed; it was surrounded by delicate sprigs of cardinal flowers, signifying ‘health’, and the bowl itself was blanketed with white heather, for good luck. Yosuke - who knew a lot more of the flower language by now - smiled, reaching out to touch one of the small flowers on the sprig of melianthus. 

“It’s beautiful, Souji. Thank you.” 

His boyfriend sat it down on the side table, then leaned over to give Yosuke a kiss before sitting down next to the bed. “Of course. I hope you didn’t expect anything less.”

Yosuke chuckled at this, and Souji proceeded to tell him about his morning, and they talked for a bit; Souji had just brought out a couple of bottles of lemon tea, handing one to Yosuke, when the brunette tilted his head. 

“So, what’s on your mind, partner? Is everything okay?”

Pausing, Souji blinked, then chuckled. He took a long drink of his tea before shaking his head, smiling at his boyfriend. “You read me too well.” Leaning over, he rested his elbows on his knees; Yosuke took a drink of his own tea, watching him. Finally, Souji started to speak. 

“So… the plot of land next to mine is going up for sale; my neighbours told me about it a week or two ago, and I’d thought some about it, but it hadn’t seemed to matter that much at the time. Now, however…” He looked at Yosuke. “Hear me out, okay? Maybe this is a rush, but I was thinking… we could buy the land - it’s just old, overgrown, abandoned yard space, right now - and clear it, and build you a new greenhouse. We could also build a showroom and shop along with it; I could display and sell my pieces there, take orders… you could move over _your_ shop, sell plants and flowers and bouquets. It would be easier for you to deliver the ikebana orders from there, too; I mean, you might still end up having to have shorter hours, like you mentioned before, but we also might be able to hire someone to staff the shop itself during some shifts.” 

It was a lot for Yosuke to wrap his mind around; he sat there, holding the bottle halfway to his mouth, blinking at his boyfriend with a stunned expression. Souji’s face was pink; he bit his lip, studying the brunette’s face with worry written across his own. Finally Yosuke capped the bottle and put it down.

“I- but where would I live, if I give up the shop?”

Souji was clearly embarrassed by this point. “You could move in with me - or we could build an apartment onto the showroom, I don’t want you to feel pressured, or think you have to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with, but I-” He paused, taking a deep breath, and Yosuke let him talk; it was rare for Souji to get so emotional, or to speak so clearly about his wishes and feelings without hiding behind flowers or ceremony, and the brunette _really_ wanted to hear what he was going to say.

Finally, Souji sighed, reaching for his boyfriend’s hand. “I really miss you whenever you have to go back to your apartment or I have to go to my house, you know? I’m never happier than when we’re spending time together, at night or during the day, but it doesn’t happen nearly enough. I almost _lost_ you, Yosuke. I don’t _want_ to keep having to say goodbye or goodnight over the phone, and if- if you move in with me, I can help you get around the greenhouse and the shop until you’re back on your feet, and… I just…” He rubbed his face, looking insecure. “My life is so much brighter with you in it, and I resent the times we’re apart.” Exhaling, he looked back up at the brunette. “I’m sorry if that sounds selfish, and I really mean that I’ll accept whatever makes you most comfortable, I just… needed to say it.”

By the time the silver-haired man had finished, there were tears in Yosuke’s eyes; his heart was too full to even speak for a moment, so he reached out, pulling his boyfriend into his arms. Souji looked a little startled, but he smiled, wrapping his arms around Yosuke as they held one another; stroking the back of Souji’s head, Yosuke gave a soft sigh. 

“Of _course_ I’ll move in with you, I just… I don’t want you to regret this, and-”

Pulling back a little - just enough to look Yosuke in the eye - Souji shook his head. “-and I’ll never, _ever_ regret being with you, Yosuke. I love you so, so much. You have to believe me, I want this _so_ much.”

“I love you, too.” Yosuke’s words were quiet, as he was trying not to choke up; Souji leaned over and kissed him, then hugged him again, and the brunette tightened his arms. _How did I ever get this lucky? No matter how many lifetimes worth of karma I spent for this, I don’t care. It’s worth every single bit._

* * *

The doctors let Yosuke go home a few days later; Souji - who’d already gotten a new car, one that Yosuke could more easily get in and out of from a wheelchair or with crutches - drove him straight to the plot of land they’d discussed buying, and from there they started to make rough plans about what they wanted to build and where. Then he took Yosuke home - not back to the apartment, but _home_ , the house that now belonged to both of them, not just Souji - and cooked him a feast; Vasha spent the evening curled up in the brunette’s lap, as if to welcome him home.

It took time to get everything settled, and even more time to get everything else started. Once the land was theirs, they had to get it cleared; at the same time, Ted and Souji had to help Yosuke move his things out of his apartment, and into Souji’s house, and they had to start the process of closing down the shop. Many of Yosuke’s regulars were sad to see him go, but they understood, and most of them promised that when the new showroom opened, they’d gladly come shop there, instead. 

Once the time came to build the new greenhouse - which was twice the size of his old one - Souji surprised Yosuke with a very well-thought-out blueprint. It had not only the amenities that Yosuke wanted - from indoor faucets and containers for compost and soil to a potting station and a special, double-glassed room for extra-delicate specimens who needed additional heat and humidity - but also sunken walkways and raised paths so that Yosuke, who was now on crutches, could work with most of his plants without having to do too much leaning or bending over. Yosuke, in turn, set aside an entire section of the greenhouse for Souji; the brunette would care for anything in it, but it was up to Souji to choose whatever plants he wanted grown, and they’d all be for his personal use only.

It was a little less than five months after the accident before they were finally able to open the showroom. Yosuke had spent the entire preceding month re-establishing the stock from his old greenhouse in the new one; he’d also gotten in a large selection of new plants - some of which were at the ikebana association’s request - and by the time the shop was open again, they had even more to offer than before. The brunette knew he’d miss the old store - after all, it was the place he’d met Souji, and where they’d slowly fallen in love - but there was something about working side-by-side with his boyfriend in the new greenhouse, or seeing Souji’s arrangements on display in the new shop, or waking up every morning with a sleepy silver head next to him on the pillow that made it all worthwhile, and a million times better than he’d initially thought it would be when he first woke up after the accident. 

* * *

A month after the showroom’s opening, the ikebana association hosted a party to congratulate them on a very successful start to their venture; Souji was getting even more orders than ever before, and business had picked up so much that they’d already hired someone to work the shop and make standard deliveries while Yosuke tended to the greenhouse and saw to the orders made by the association. Souji - who, to Yosuke’s great delight, had dressed up in a formal kimono - sat next to the brunette, who’d been convinced to wear a tuxedo. Matsumoto-san, along with other high-ranking members of the ikebana association, sat on either side of them; the room was filled with other members, friends, and favoured customers. 

After a good meal, Matsumoto-san stood up, giving a speech about how proud the association was of the two of them; Yosuke was invited formally to be a member of the association, and everyone applauded. Once it was over, however, Souji stood up, taking the microphone, and Yosuke raised an eyebrow.

This must have been a sign; one of the association members carried a covered basket over to the table, setting it down in front of the brunette; Yosuke couldn’t see what was in it - the cloth that was covering it had been tied loosely to the basket handle. There were bits of green and some ribbons visible, but before Yosuke could reach out and untie it, Souji caught his eye, smiled softly, and shook his head so lightly that no one else would have noticed it. Clearing his throat - still looking at the brunette - he started to speak.

“As many of you know, Yosuke and I have been dating for nine months now; we were lucky enough to meet because of flowers, and this project has been a labour of love for both of us - both of our love for flowers, and our love for each other.” Yosuke returned his smile at this, feeling a little embarrassed; there was something up, and he wasn’t sure what, but he was content to wait and watch. 

“Of course, as I’ve talked to people over the last few months, I’ve gotten a lot of advice. None of it actually _matched_ , of course-” here, the crowd laughed “-and I’ve been told everything from ‘make sure to snag him ASAP’ to ‘whatever you do, don’t be hasty, it’s best to wait and be sure.’” He smiled, and Yosuke found his mouth going dry at these words, which _had_ to mean one thing. 

“Honestly, I appreciate all of the advice, and I don’t really know what’s right and what isn’t. All I _do_ know is that for the last nine months, and especially the last six, I have lived an extraordinary ‘normal’ life with you by my side.” He was speaking to Yosuke directly now, and the brunette couldn’t tear his eyes away from the half-hopeful, half-adoring expression on his boyfriend’s face. “I want that to continue for the rest of our lives. I want to greet every day and say farewell to every night while standing beside you, and I want to be there with you for every new chapter, every obstacle, every path that life hands us, whether it's rocky or smooth. I want to be your support as you have long-since been mine.” 

Reaching over, Souji tugged at one of the strings holding the basket closed, and the cloth fell to the sides, revealing a gorgeous arrangement; ivy filled the basket, and through clever use of strings and wire, honeysuckle hung in a globe, filling the space between basket and handle, like honey-scented, golden snow. In the middle hung a branch of ylang-ylang buds; the lowest blossom, which fell at the centre of the globe of honeysuckle, was the only one fully-open. Around its stem - as if it had been placed there before the flower bloomed - was a gold ring, etched with floral motifs, and each flower had a tiny gemstone in its centre.

Yosuke was speechless; he knew well by now what all of the flowers meant, and he couldn’t keep from blushing as he stared at Souji with tears in his eyes. Smiling, Souji touched each plant in turn, naming them for the benefit of the audience. “Ylang-ylang stands for ‘never-ending love’, honeysuckle means ‘bonds of love', as well as 'generous and devoted affection.’ Ivy stands for ‘fidelity’… but it also means ‘marriage.’ Yosuke Hanamura, will you marry me?”

Yosuke had his hands over his mouth now, but his smile was so wide that Souji didn’t have to worry. As the brunette choked out, “Of _course_ I will, you big, wonderful, _stupid_ idiot,” Souji’s smile widened to match his fiancé’s; reaching over, he plucked the open ylang-ylang flower, taking Yosuke’s hand and sliding the ring onto his finger before tucking the blossom into the brunette’s buttonhole. Yosuke pulled Souji down into a kiss, and the entire room broke into cheers and applause.

“Oh my god you are _so_ cheesy and I love you _so, so much_.” Yosuke’s face was bright red, and Souji - whose face was almost as red - rested his forehead against the brunette’s. 

“It’s all for you, because I love you _just_ as much.” Sliding a hand around Yosuke’s neck, Souji leaned in for another slow, sweet kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you think that any Yosuke - but especially florist Yosuke - wouldn't completely melt over a flower-message marriage proposal, from Souji, in front of a group of people, I think you're totally wrong.


End file.
